Believe it or not, it was 1992 when Congress passed a law calling for the creation of a database of rebuilt or stolen vehicles. The purpose was to inform consumers shopping for a used vehicle whether they were getting a car that had been in a wreck or had been rebuilt.
The 16-year wait is now over.
A U.S. judge has ruled that the Department of Justice has until January 30th to make this information available to consumers. The deadline comes about after Public Citizen, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, and Consumer Action all sued the DOJ in February, arguing that the delay in putting together a published database was putting consumers at risk.
Now consumers can shop with the help of the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System. Information included will be the validity of the car’s title, the mileage, whether or not it has ever been stolen, whether or not it was ever in a wreck and rebuilt and sold to unsuspecting consumers as new. Most states do not require a clear title so buyers can have this information.
The problem of course is that these vehicles may be too dangerous to drive. From frame damage to suspension damage and other structural damage that can affect the structural integrity and handling on the road. The wait will soon be over for this vital information for consumers.
